The present invention relates to interlocking plastic displays and, more particularly, to interlocking plastic displays having improved stability.
In our earlier patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,890, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, we disclosed an interlocking plastic display having two interlocking members. A first, display, member includes indicia formed therein, and a first locking element formed beneath the indicia. The second, background, member, includes a second locking element configured to interlock with the first locking element. The first locking element includes a portion of reduced depth, so that the first and second locking elements may interlock, with portions of each locking element underlying portions of the other locking element. The two members are made of different colored materials, so that they offer good contrast and ease of readability.
The patented device has proven to work quite well for its intended purpose, but some problems have arisen in the field. When working with larger signs, we have noticed that some warping in the device may develop, and that the manufacture of such larger devices may result in some production difficulties, such as uneven flow of material in the two-shot injection molding process.
We have discovered that these larger display devices benefit from increased strength and resistance to warping provided by an additional layer of locking and supporting elements.